Chapter Six of seventeen
Chapter 6: A.I. & the Internet of Things
At this stage of the book, you're almost halfway there. This is probably one of the most confusing topics for the average layperson. The Internet of Things or IoT is the spine of A.I., and involved in many daily aspects of life in industrialized societies, however, few are exposed to its underpinnings and inner-workings. As a result, technologies such as A.I. and IoT, are relegated to the level of magic and dismissed as far too complex to be understood, wielded, or created by anyone but a mad scientist. I am happy as I write this, and so I am not a mad scientist, but still, I will show you what few know, but touches all.
As powerful as Artificial Intelligence is, it is powerless without a network of highways to traverse the globe. The Internet of Things is this highway. It is an endless network of internet connected devices. This internet connectivity, provides the device with the ability to become remotely controlled by Artificial Intelligence, or humans. This does come with various security concerns as a result, but you are not powerless. There are ways to mitigate and defend your "things", which we will discuss in subsequent chapters. Now, before we discuss the two competing standards fighting for the the fate of the internet, let us first touch on WiFi vs Mesh Networks as a foundation.
Most of us know about WiFi, and could barely live without it. A WiFi network is known as a "star network". This type of network allows each device to communicate with the central hub (router/modem). If a device cannot communicate with the router, because it may be out of range, then the device is kicked off the network. In contrast, Mesh Networks behave similar in the sense that the signal originates from the central hub, however, once the signal has left the hub, the signal travels through the different nodes (devices), who do not need to receive the signal directly from the central hub, and each device acts as a signal repeater. A mesh network significantly enhances network performance, such as fault tolerance, load balancing, throughput, and protocol efficiency while reducing cost. Now, let us look at the two competing IoT standards using Mesh Networking for connectivity.
The first major standard, is Zigbee. Zigbee is a short-wave communications technology, which operates at 2.4GHz, and has been adopted by the Zigbee Alliance, which boasts elite membership such as Amazon, Apple, and Google to name a few. Zigbee technology adds security and mesh network functionality on top of the existing internet protocol. The Zigbee standard can support up to 65,000 individual devices on one network, and is targeted towards enterprise clients. Imagine that a warehouse needs all of its lighting, security cameras, locks, humidity controllers, and temperature sensors connected. In this scenario, the Zigbee technology would provide a large enough bandwidth to cover the large number of devices in use within the warehouse. Now that we've touched upon the Zigbee standards, let's go on to discuss its direct competitor, the Z-wave standard.
The second standard for IoT, is Z-wave. The Z-wave standard is a proprietary technology, meaning it is owned by a private entity, Sigma Designs. Z-wave also has a controlling association, the Z-wave Alliance, which controls the certification of all Z-wave devices. Z-wave operates at the 908 MHz frequency. The lower frequency allows Z-wave to have a longer range, but with reduced bandwidth, thus less data is transmitted. A Z-wave signal between two different nodes, has the capability to travel 330 feet in an outdoor setting, with no obstructions. In-home signal strength reaches about 100 feet unobstructed, and 50 feet obstructed. This is roughly double that of Zigbee. Z-wave is also considered to be the more reliable of the two technologies, likely because of the tight control and continuity of standards through Sigma Designs, and the Z-wave Alliance. Now, let us explore a few use-cases for the Internet of Things of today and tomorrow.
The first use-case that we will look at, involves waking up in your Smart Home. As soon as you sit up in your bed, your home uses image recognition technology and motion sensors to know you are awake. As a result, your home runs your shower at the exact temperature that you like, and puts on a cup of coffee, only after sensing that you've freshly exited the shower. As soon as you walk into the garage, your car is already started and warmed to your favorite degree. Getting in the car, your seat spins around toward the center, and a screen drops down playing Sports Center.
Next, your self-driving vehicle takes you to the nearest gas station to refill. When you get out of the car, the refueling pump can tell you are dehydrated and recommends a refreshment high in electrolytes. When you get on the interstate, your vehicle communicates with all the other vehicles on the road, allowing it to sense a car accident two miles ahead, suggesting an alternate route to the office. You save five minutes. Your car drops you off at the front door, and will be there to pick you up as soon as your shift ends. The Smart Home is where IoT begins, but now let us explore the smart classroom of the future.
The second use-case that we will dive into, is the Smart Classroom. You are a teacher in the year 2032, and you are wearing Augmented Reality glasses, powered by an A.I. Smart Assistant that allows you to determine the emotional state of the students, to determine if they are understanding the information or frustrated. The same device also allows you to determine the nutritional state of the student, as well as common learning disabilities, and the behavioral health of the student. This information allows the teacher to customize a students learning experience, while also recommending the most effective wrap-around resources, and providing more data for parents to utilize in order to give their child the best chances at success. Now, that we have explored the Smart Classroom, let us explore the Smart Office of the future.
The third use-case is the Smart Office, which still has been far from realized. You are the CEO of a technology startup. Before walking into your office, you check your phone, as the security camera notifies you of a motion sensor activated, revealing that a few of your employees are already present. When you walk into the office, the lights brighten due to a connected sensor on the door. Multi-sensor devices control the humidity, lighting, and thermostat. You also have an emergency alarm and buzzer in the event the temperature reaches above 120 degrees Fahrenheit, or if the door opens after 6pm. Employees no longer have to clock in or out, sensors on the building doors and connected IoT applications control hourly wages clocked, by stopping work time upon the employees entering or exiting the building, or by having a certain amount of idle time. This future is not as far out as one would think, but now let us look at the fourth use-case, Smart Industry.
Smart Industry is one in which there is already much innovation and automation that has already occurred. However, A.I. has yet to truly be integrated into many automated workflows. This is especially true in industries where adaptation is a necessity due to changing and dynamic environments. A.I. that is trained on millions of different scenarios, will have the ability to adapt, learn, and evolve its skills to meet the demands of current and future industry. An example, would be using A.I. to detect the fatigue or pain of workers on an assembly floor line, in high risk working areas. This allows managers to give workers needed down-time as well as the ability to provide supportive services and/or services of third-parties to ensure the health and safety of each employee, as well as minimizing lost hours of productivity, and heightening overall employee sentiment. Next, we will discuss the concept of Smart Cities, one that will come to impact every citizen and civilian in modern as well as less-developed nations.
The last area that we shall re-imagine is the Smart City. Let us imagine a future New York. We are in Times Square looking up at all the flashing lights. Except, the flashing lights are looking back. Image recognition systems connected to companies and government, watch us as we loiter. They are determining our identity from global databases, determining our fashion tastes, as the billboards display an ad for pants similar to those that you are wearing. Drones fly by our heads of different shapes and sizes, delivering packages both large and small. Self-controlled vehicles pass by with living rooms in the center, and each occupant facing one another toward the middle.
Some luxury vehicles even have chandeliers hanging from the center of the vehicle. Your are bumped by a robot, who kindly apologizes and continues on his way to make a delivery. You get a phone call, and touch a device wrapped around your ear, and a holographic display emerges in front of you, it's your girlfriend. Tonight is couples night and she reminded you not to forget a few bottles of Sweet Red wine for the guests. Smart Cities of the future will have the issue of managing the large number of devices, and the energy consumption of running a modern and truly interconnected civilization.
The IoT landscape has narrowed significantly with the formation of the various Alliances. This formation will only accelerate the pace of the integration of IoT connected devices. There once again are security concerns with such universal access by way of the internet, but there are many positive gains likewise. The ability to control many aspects of one's life will assist the elderly, the disabled, the illiterate, those with behavioral health conditions, and more. Allowing A.I. access to IoT devices has already occurred, the question now is what are the disruptive applications that you will develop that will change the world, for the better? During the next Chapter, we will discuss A.I. and applications in Commercial Drone Technology.
Exercises
Can you or your team explain plainly what the Internet-of-Things is? Can you name at least three examples?
Can you name three to five ways the Internet-of-Things can work together with your Artificial Intelligence project?
Are there any reasons to be concerned about Security regarding the integration of the Internet-of-Things with your Artificial Intelligence project? What might those reasons be? Here is more information on Cyber-security and the Internet-of-Things.
What else has not been connected to the internet? What has yet to become automated?
Ean Mikale, J.D., is an eight-time author with 11 years of experience in the AI industry. He serves as the Principal Engineer of Infinite 8 Industries, Inc., and is the IEEE Chair of the Hybrid Quantum-inspired Internet Protocol Industry Connections Group. He has initiated and directed his companies 7-year Nvidia Inception and Metropolis Partnerships. Mikale has created dozens of AI Assistants, many of which are currently in production. His clientele includes Fortune 500 Companies, Big Three Consulting Firms, and leading World Governments. He is a former graduate of IBM's Global Entrepreneur Program, AWS for Startups, Oracle for Startups, and Accelerate with Google. Finally, he is the creator of the World's First Hybrid Quantum Internet Layer, InfiNET. As an Industry Expert, he has also led coursework at Institutions, such as Columbia and MIT. Follow him on Linkedin, Instagram, and Facebook: @eanmikale